His Kingdom
Background Story: Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray in Luke 11:1. And this was Jesus’ response.
Read Matthew 6:1-15
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Big Idea: Focus on building God’s kingdom.
Last week I was watching this History Channel program about Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States. In the program, they showed photos of him and his team sitting at the table working hard to pass bills and legislation. And while I was watching, this thought hit me. Every single person in those historic photos is now dead. No matter what they accomplished on this earth, not one of them is still alive.
We spend so much time worrying and working to build earthly kingdoms. We stress and toil to build homes, families, and careers. And in the end, just like FDR and his team, we leave this world and all we have worked for. James 4:14 says it this way, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
Jesus instructed us instead to pray in Matthew 6:10 for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done. To, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) and to focus our attention on the eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). To spend our life on storing up treasures in heaven and not on earth (Matthew 6:19-21). For people come and go, nations rise and fall, and things fade and break. But God’s kingdom is eternal and “endures through all generation” (Psalm 145:13).
Today may we examine our hearts and pursuits, and be able to sincerely honestly pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
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